Mind Games
by kausingkayn
Summary: A mysterious figure comes to town, throwing both Angel Investigations and Wolfram and Hart for a spin. The catch? She's Lorne's "Niece"
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Alrightly, this is a test version of some sort. I've had this idea for over a year now, and it has molded and shapeshifted until it became clear. I'm posting this to see if it is worth continuing. Please let me know what you think! Also, I've only seen seasons 1 through 3 of Angel, and this is set midway through season 2, before the episode Dead End. _All facts that were presented after that episode are considered void in this fanfic._**

**Warnings: Rated T for language and future suggestive/slight adult content.**

* * *

Friday, the best day of the week. It wasn't yet the weekend, but it was a time of sparse work and lots of sleep. Normally, any apocalyptic creatures were defeated by Wednesday and Thursday was spent cleaning up. Saturday was when all the poor (and rich) souls stumbled into Angel Investigations looking for help. Friday was a nice break from the chaos.

This is why the employees of this particular business were quite surprised when the front door to the hotel creaked open.

"Uh, hello? Is this Angel Investigations?" The woman was slightly above average height, though that might have had something to do with the black open-toed heels that showed off her brightly colored toenails. Her head was heavy with an unruly mass of curly brown hair, which, if thought about, only complemented her face. Her locks brushed her shoulders and bounced with her step, which gave the appearance of excitement. Her hazel-brown eyes scanned the building, a crease growing on her forehead as the ends of her mouth tugged downward, and if pulled by gravity. "Hello?"

A head popped around the corner of the second floor hallway, a body quickly following as the woman walked onto the indoor balcony. "Sorry 'bout that." She said, making her way downstairs. "I'm Cordelia. Welcome to Angel Investigations, we help the helpless. What can we do for you?"

They shook hands, then the guest stepped back and placed a slender hand on her hip. "I'm Sylvia. You guys so paranormal stuff, right?"

Cordelia nodded enthusiastically. "That's right!"

Sylvia smiled in a polite manner, a bit taken aback by Cordelia's energy. She clapped her hands in front of her in a business-like manner. "I'm looking for my uncle. Tall, green, red horns, sings a lot, likes using pastries as adjectives. Know where I can find him?"

"Lorne?"

Both women turned to see who had spoken. Leaning against the front desk like he had been there all along was Angel. He was looking at Sylvia in mild curiosity. The same way a scientist would watch his lab mice. The woman admirably held her ground, her eyes burning holes in his. Cordelia noticed this and shot Angle a look. "So…Lorne's your uncle?"

The spell was broken and Sylvia averted her eyes; however, a look of faint worry was now on her face, like an itch that couldn't be scratched or a mark made by a permanent marker that would fade but never completely go away. "Well, fake-uncle. Kind of adopted family, minus the paperwork."

Cordelia nodded. "Got it. Let me write down his address for you." She slipped around the front desk and started searching for some paper and a pen. Angel slid around the desk and walked up to Sylvia, jamming his hands into his pockets. "Funny, Lorne never mentioned you."

Sylvia shifted on her feet and brought her hands to her hips, raising her one eyebrow slightly and pursing her lips, conveying the message of not being threatened. "Funny."

Cordelia chose that time to re-enter the lobby, a piece of paper in her hand. She elbowed Angel out of the way and handed the instructions to Sylvia. The woman took the paper, her eyes shifting back and forth as they skimmed the words. Satisfied, she smiled and pocketed the directions. "Thanks."

She turned to leave, pausing to give Angel one last look. She gave a mischievous smirk and a hint of menacing flitted through her eyes, and for only a second, of that, her eyes turned from hazel to deep purple. It was a flash of color, Angel wondered if he imagined it because it happened so fast. Cordelia missed it entirely. Then, Sylvia walked out the front door, giving one last half-hearted wave before disappearing into the streets of LA. Cordelia raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms, leaning slightly against Angel. "What was that about? Seemed like a nice girl."

Angel snorted and moved away, still staring at the door. "That _thing_ wasn't human…I could smell it."

**--Wolfram and Hart--**

Lindsey McDonald blinked desperately, forcing his eyes to focus on the tiny words swimming before him. Why did lawyers like to write so small? He groaned, this time using his fist, digging it into his eyes in order to clear his vision. Still the words on the paper on the table stayed fuzzy, as if they were laughing at his situation. The young lawyer glared at the paper and pushed back from the table. He stood up and stretched, his legs cramping as they tried to remember how to support the rest of his body. His arms reached for the ceiling before coming down to smooth out his rumpled suit. He ran a hand through his short, bushy hair and loosened his tie. He glanced at the large clock on the wall and closed his eyes in disbelief. Deciding to get some fresh air, Lindsey leaned down to grab his suitcase before heading toward the doors to his office. He had to sit his suitcase down in order to grab the door handle, and stuck his foot in the opening before once again grabbing his case. The man looked left and right down the hallway before slipping out. He silently stalked through the hall and turned the corner, only to be confronted by a smug-looking Lilah Morgan. Her arms were crossed on her chest and her eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Damn it Lilah!" Lindsey exclaimed in surprise, totally caught off guard by the woman.

The other lawyer just smiled. "Where you going, Lindsey?"

The man narrowed his eyes and took a defensive stance. "None of your damn business."

"No, I think it is my business. Because this is _our_ case you are working on, and I don't want to get blamed for you screwing up. I ask again. Where are you going?" She had that annoying tone in her voice that made Lindsey want to slap her upside the face. He dealt with monsters and demons from hell on a daily basis, and yet he couldn't think of one that was worse than the woman standing in his way.

He sighed and took a step forward. "I've been working on _our_ case for the past 28 hours. I'm going out."

No longer waiting for Lilah to get out of his way, Lindsey resumed walking forward. At the last second the woman slipped out of his path, but not fast enough for them to avoid crashing shoulders. Lindsey stiffened his and drove her into the wall, not stopping to look back to make sure she was ok. Lilah straightened up from the wall and smoothed down her suit before straightening up and murmuring a few words under her breath before walking in the opposite direction.

Lindsey surpassed the elevator and chose to walk down the stairs, even though his office was on one of the higher floors. The numbing beat of his feet hitting the stairs allowed him to fall into a rhythm as he thought about things that he really shouldn't think about, like the case he was working on. He found that, when dealing with a case that lied on the more evil side of things, it was best to not think about it beyond finding a way to make it all disappear. It was when he started to think about it that his conscious started to wake up from its long slumber, and that was when he did stupid things, like join up with a vampire with a soul in order to go against the company that made him who he was today. Whether that was a good thing or not was another one of those things that he found was easier not to think about. Lindsey made it to the first floor and walked through the large glass doors without signing out. He wasn't as scared about Wolfram and Hart as he had been in the past, and was at the point of not caring whether or not he made it out of building breathing or in a body bag. He made straight for his company car; he hated the thing, but Wolfram and Hart thought it inappropriate for one of their top lawyers to drive to work in an old ford pickup truck that was made before he was born. Lindsey waited until he got up close to his car and sat down his briefcase in order to dig through his pockets with his one good hand for the keys. Once found, he unlocked the doors and threw his briefcase in the back seat before sliding into the leather seats, not bothering to take time to admire the interior. He slid his plastic hand through the steering wheel and crossed his left hand over his body, putting himself in an uncomfortable position as he tried to get the car to start. He used to have a stick shift, but that was subtly changed after his incident with Angel. Now all he had to do was press a small button and the car would shift gears to drive, allowing him to tear out of his company parking space, which was exactly what he did.

Lindsey thought about going home, but when he came to the turn he would have to take to go there, he kept on driving. His apartment wasn't really home, though, never was. It was his third one in that year alone. In fact, the young man hadn't had a place he could call home since coming to LA. Yeah, he had lived the big life for many years, but no place had that secure feeling, where one felt safe and could relax without having to worry about angry demons from hell invading your personal space.

Lindsey unconsciously flicked on the turn signal and moved into the right turning lane. He didn't realize where he was driving to until he got there, pressing on the break as he pulled up in front of an all to familiar place. He hadn't been to this part of town since loosing his hand, and never had planned on coming back. The Powers That Be seemed to have some other course of action, however, and he found himself compelled to get out of his car and enter the small bar. He parked his car and turned it off, exiting the vehicle before locking the doors, even though he knew that wouldn't stop anyone around these parts who wanted to hijack a car. The keys fell back into his suit pocket and he started to walk towards the stairs that he had gone down hundreds of times, before things had become complicated. A placard hung above the doorway, announcing to all who cared enough to read it that they were entering the sanctuary known in the English language as _Caritas._

**--Caritas--**

The woman known only as Sylvia entered the bar owned by her uncle, pausing by the doorway to take in all the sites. It was quite a humorous site; her uncle always had a way with decorating. She was able to spot almost every color known to this Earth and several from other dimensions. She winced slightly as she heard the demon on the small stage start to sing, his off-key voice scratching the air. Whatever the thing was, it was getting green glop all over the microphone, as well as the stage. There were several other tables that were occupied by demons, vampires, and humans alike. Sylvia spent several more minutes just taking in all the sites and sounds, taking several seconds longer than needed for a normal person staring at the individual beings in the club. Finally, her eyes fell on the tall green demon leaning on the bar, listening intently to the karaoke singer on stage. Sylvia's face broke out in a large smile and she bounced over to where her uncle was standing, sitting on the stool directly next to him.

"Martini, like 'em dirty." She said nonchalantly, hiding her smile and putting on a straight face. She wanted to know if her uncle would recognize her. Lorne broke eye contact with the demon singing on stage long enough to glance her way before gluing himself back on the performer.

"Sure thing sugar, give me a minute." The green demon waited until the demon on stage finished singing to get her the drink she ordered, sliding it in front of her without any sign of recognition. "Haven't seen you 'round here before."

Sylvia smirked. "Yeah, new to town." She took a sip of the drink and smirked at the taste. Just like she remembered, nothing ever better. She had been all around the world and still no one made better alcohol drinks than the demon standing right next to her.

Lorne had all but forgotten about the curly-haired woman, turning his attention to another patron, who had struck a conversation with him. Sylvia watched the two converse for a moment, then started humming, loud enough for the notes to hit Lorne's ears, but soft enough for no one else to pick it up.

The red-eyed demon paused in the middle of his conversation and turned toward Sylvia, his face bright with shock. "Syl?"

The woman nodded and laughed, her eyes turning purple for several seconds before melding back to hazel. Lorne made a hasty exit from his current social connection and walked back in front of Sylvia, his eyes searching for something familiar.

The woman giggled at his star and did a little twirl in her seat. "You like?"

The orange-haired demon could only nod in return, still not quite believing that Sylvia had come to visit him. "Been a while."

"You're telling me! When did all this happen?" She asked, gesturing in the direction of the bar. "I mean, it suits you terribly."

The demon smiled. "Well sweetie pie, nice of you to drop by." His eyes searched for signs of trouble, but found none. That was when he started to get suspicious. "What exactly _are_ you doing here, Syl."

The woman rolled her eyes and shook her head, her curls twirling with her movement. She took a sip of her martini before answering. "Chill Lorne. No hidden trouble. I just wanted to reconnect with my favorite uncle."

It was Lorne's turn to roll his eyes. "I'm your _only_ uncle."

Sylvia snorted. "And?"

Something made the woman turn in her seat to look at the doorway the same moment that Lindsey had the feeling to look up at the bar as he was walking down the stairs and into the club. Their eyes locked for half a second before the lawyer broke contact, his eyes finishing his sweep of the room before landing on an empty table near the back of the club. He made a beeline for the table and sat down, satisfied at the fact that there was only one chair at that particular table. Lindsey leaned forward to take off his suit coat, suddenly becoming very hot. He struggled for several moments, cursing under his breath as he tried to do the laborious task. His jacket successfully hanging off the back of his chair, he then started working on his dress shirt, unbuttoning the cuffs and rolling up his sleeves. He sat his void hand on the table, staring at the plastic before raising his good hand to call a waitress.

Back at the bar, Sylvia never moved her eyes off of the lawyer since they had made eye contact. She gave a sly smile before turning back towards her uncle. "Whose that? Not a regular, I take it."

Lorne had a very surprised look on his face, but quickly removed it with a shake of his head. "Used to be, until a special vamp chopped off his hand."

Sylvia raised her eyebrow. "Interesting."

Lorne frowned, knowing exactly what was going to happen next. He had seen it happen more times than he was proud to admit. "Leave him, Syl."

She gave a short puff, letting out a breath of hot air. Her voice had a slight whine to it when she spoke. "You're no fun."

She turned back to look at him and caught his hand raising as he signaled for a waitress. Seizing her chance, Sylvia hopped down off her barstool and gave Lorne a quick wink. "I think he's a blonde kinda guy."

The woman who turned to walk away was not the innocent looking young girl who had curly brown hair and hazel eyes. No, she was now a petite blonde whose chest was a little larger than normal and whose hair was so bleach blonde it was almost white. She had bangs cut in a straight line across her forehead, the rest of her ramrod straight hair pulled back in a playful yet serious ponytail. The woman had fair skin and dark eyebrows, showing off her actual hair color. As she retreated from the bar, she showed off a slight swagger in her walk. Lorne watched her leave, throwing his arms up in defeat. The girl was never one to follow the rules. He silently thanked any god who was willing to listen for his bar being a sanctuary, just in case.

Sylvia, now the blonde, arrived at the lawyers table, a soft smile on her face. "What can I get for yah?" Gone was the constantly enthusiastic voice. The pitch was even different than when she was sporting brown hair. Her voice was now softer and older, as if the woman has seen too many things.

Lindsey looked at the woman and frowned. "Whiskey, straight."

Sylvia nodded. "Good choice."

She turned and walked away from the table, smirking to herself as she felt Lindsey's eyes on her retreating form. She got to the bar and gave Lorne a victory smirk. "The man wants whiskey."

Lorne rolled his eyes, but wasn't one to deprive a customer. He poured the drink and handed it to Sylvia, who nodded in thanks before once again returning to Lindsey's seat. Lorne sighed and tried to pay attention to something else. "At least I taught her manners."

Lindsey gratefully took the drink when it was placed on his table, his permanent scowl becoming less severe as the burning alcohol kissed his lips. Sylvia smiled as she watched the man's expression change, and pulled a chair from a nearby vacant table before plopping down in it directly across from Lindsey. The lawyer raised his eyebrow, his frown going back to its normal severity. However, he said nothing, which to Sylvia was a good sign.

"I don't really work here." She stated, watching to see how he would react. She giggled a bit when he pulled the glass away from his lips, staring at it as if it was poisoned. She rolled her eyes and reached forward, taking the whiskey from his hands before taking a sip then replacing it in its original position. "Neither do I poison things."

Even after seeing the little display, Lindsey sat the glass down. "There are poisons that demons are immune to while humans are not."

Sylvia smirked at the man's logic, her fascination growing deeper by the second. "You already drank some. Plus, you think _I'm_ a demon? Pu-lease."

She rolled her eyes and Lindsey found himself wanting to know why the woman was talking to him. He had come to _Caritas_ for some peace…right? He wasn't sure, but then again, he wasn't sure about much else these days either. He never wanted to come back to this place, all it did was haunt him, reminding him about the days that he used to have, where he could write with his right hand and never second guess his choices. But somehow, he ended up here. He wasn't a big hotshot for the Powers That Be, especially since he had seen many other powerful forces, but he was starting to wonder…

"Then what are you?" He boldly asked, picking the whiskey up once more. The strange woman was right; he had already taken a sip. Plus, it was damn fine alcohol, and he wasn't one to waste.

"I think you're asking the wrong question." She stood up and walked up to the bar, sitting down in the exact chair she had chosen when she was the brown-haired woman. She flashed a smile at Lorne, who was trying to concentrate on the next singer. This demon had a better voice and was actually singing on key, which was a very rare thing for a karaoke bar. Sylvia snapped her fingers to get the green demons attention. He managed to tear his gaze from the stage.

"What is it, sugar cakes?"

Sylvia smiled as the man used yet another pastry as a proper noun. "Wait for it."

Lorne gave the woman an annoyed look, tired of her games already. He knew exactly what was going to happen next, the lawyer being no exception to Sylvia's mind games.

Not even five minutes later, Lindsey stood up and put his jacket back on, the glass of whiskey now sitting empty on his table. He approached the bar and slipped The correct amount of change onto the counter before turning to Sylvia and wordlessly handing her one of his business cards with his cell phone number on the back. The woman remained impassive until the lawyer had left the building. Then she waved the card in Lorne's peripheral vision.

"Seems like I'll be in town for a while."

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**And the epic begins. Yes, this is mostly rotating around Lindsey McDonald, but Angel will play a part in this, along with all the other awesome charries in the Angel universe. Reviews are loved!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Rewrote several scenes in this, added stuff, minused stuff until it was _just_ right. I was a little upset about the response this story got, but I've gotten so into the plot-line that I'm going to continue. Hope this answers some questions and creates even more! Enjoy.**

**Rated T for language and slight suggestive content.**

* * *

"…court is in four months. Charlie, Greg, start picking our jury. We might actually have reason to 'secure' this case, the prosecution actually knows a damn about law."

The voice of Nathan Reed droned on in the background, like a robot that worked without break. Lindsey sat at the conference table in his designated seat across from Lilah, doodling on the edge of his notebook instead of taking down the information Reed was supplying. His head leaned roughly against his plastic hand, the small drawings looking pathetic at his left hand shook with the effort. Lindsey used to be right handed, but had to teach himself how to do everyday tasks with his left hand since the accident. He had mastered most techniques, but his handwriting was still sloppy for a lawyer and his typing sucked like hell. Lindsey brought his eyes back in focus and blinked a few times when Reed raised his voice, pointing out an important part of his speech. The single-handed lawyer looked at what he was drawing and frowned. It was an attempt to sketch that woman from _Caritas _the other night. He didn't even get the woman's name, nevertheless knew her enough to be randomly trying to doodle her on his paper in the middle of a semi-important meeting. He crossed the pictures out with his pen, digging deep into the paper. He didn't need that. He didn't even know what compelled him to give her his card. Lindsey shook his head slightly. He had developed a growing headache that had started in the back of his skull that morning and had slowly moved to the front of his head. He sighed and pressed down even harder, causing his paper to rip. Heads turned and Reed paused in his speech to look at the young lawyer.

"Something you want to share, Lindsey?" Nathan asked. Across the table Lilah tried, and failed miserably, to hide the grin on her face.

Lindsey scowled slightly and shook his head, placing his pen down on the table and straightening up in his seat. Reed cleared his throat then continued talking, this time with Lindsey paying attention.

"As I was saying, the annual Wolfram and Hart fundraiser is coming up this weekend. I want to see all of you there." He took time to look at each board member directly in the eyes, waiting a little longer on Lindsey than any others. "You can bring dates. It's a time to celebrate another wonderful year of 'justice' and well-earned profits." Reed took a break, allowing everything to soak in. "Ok, you are dismissed…Lindsey, can I see you a moment?"

Lilah gave her partner a look that would kill the dead before exiting the boardroom. All the other members followed suit, until only Lindsey and Nathan were left. The superior approached the young lawyer and sighed. "You seem preoccupied Lindsey. Anything you need to talk about?"

Inwardly Lindsey rolled his eyes, knowing what Reed was truly saying. He wanted to know if there were any weaknesses growing in the young lawyer that might endanger the future of the law firm. So he just shook his head. "Little, tired, that's all sir."

Reed nodded his head. "Very well then, get back to work. And Lindsey? I'll see you at the banquet."

Lindsey hesitated a moment but nodded. He really hated going to those things, especially when everyone always brought 'dates', if you could call them that. Half of the lawyers used their blood money to hire out a hooker for the whole night; some even used some of the demons on Wolfram and Hart's payroll. It was a time for the men to show off temporary arm candy and the women to see how much fat they could squeeze into five inches of fabric.

However, if he wanted his job, and new clients, he would have to show his face at the fundraiser, that he knew. He wouldn't bring a date, since he didn't do the fake girlfriends, and didn't have a woman in mind that he was attracted to. Suddenly the image of the girl from the bar the night before flooded his mind and Lindsey almost tripped. He steadied himself by leaning against the wall, his head suddenly spinning. Lindsey stayed there a few moments until he could see straight again before quickly entering his office. He locked the door behind him and made a beeline to his chair, his head still pounding. It felt like his brain was knocking on his skull with a tremendous force, begging him to let it out. He almost missed his chair, but managed to sit down. He stayed still until it went away. When he could finally think again, he found himself covered in a thin layer of sweat and his hands were still shaking. Lindsey let out a few calming breaths to steady himself. Then he grabbed the armrests of his chair and pushed himself up, walking to the large window wall of his office. He pressed a button on the wall and allowed the large curtains to draw back, showing off LA at it's best hour. Lindsey leaned his forehead against the glass and stared at the ground, imagining himself falling into the air, feeling the wind on his face, then nothingness.

It was a beautiful sight that his eyes were taking in. The sky was full of smog, yet there was one star that shone through the dense clouds, portraying hope onto the lost city. The building lights took the place of the rest of the stars, lighting up LA. People walked the streets because they had nothing better to do. A couple strolled hand in hand, each other the only thing they had. A woman sitting on a bench, waiting for something or someone. It seemed almost peaceful. Lindsey zeroed in on a manhole in the middle of the street and the spell was broken. Because under the streets the demons from places deeper than hell roamed, waiting to come to the surface and terrorize the naïve. Vampires roamed the streets looking for a drink, maybe a kill or two. Yes, the beauty of LA.

When Lindsey's breathe fogged up the glass to a point of him being unable to see through it he stood up straight and walked over to his CD player, popping in an old Mozart piece. The music calmed him, reminded him of simpler days, even though they weren't considered better. The low vibrating of his phone interrupted the peaceful music. Puzzled at who would be calling him on his cell while he was still at the office, he answered it hesitantly. "McDonald."

"_Guess who?"_

He didn't have to guess. He remembered her voice like she had just been in the room with him seconds ago, the echo not even having enough time to fade away. He shifted the phone so he could hold it with his shoulder in order to pinch the bridge of his nose. It was then that he noticed his headache had disappeared entirely. He didn't even have that headache hangover he normally had. "I wouldn't know, you never gave me a name."

"_Never asked."_ She stated, causing him to smirk a bit. He felt a little for comfortable, and for a moment it felt like he was dealing with one of the other lawyers at the office. Never a direct answer.

"What's your name?" He relented, feeling the ache of not getting any sleep in the past 72 hours.

He could almost see her smile. _"There we go. Sylvia."_

"Nice to meet you Sylvia." Lindsey reiterated, liking the way her name rolled off his tongue. He waited for a last name, but it never came, erasing all chance of him being able to look her up on the Wolfram and Hart database. He still wasn't entirely sure if she was human or not.

"_You too, Lindsey._" It was small talk, they both knew it. The young lawyer was waiting for the woman to bring up the real reason she had called, but the longer he waited the longer he wondered if she had actually wanted to ask him something. Then he remembered the banquet that weekend, and an idea grew in his head. A way to learn more about this mysterious Sylvia and gain a few jealous glances at the same time.

"There's this fundraiser my firm is throwing this Saturday…"

**--Caritas--**

Angel, Wesley, and Cordelia entered the sanctuary called _Caritas_, the soulful vampire in the lead. His ever-present coat flowed menacingly behind him, his two associates following closely behind. It was the middle of the day and the bar was closed, no customers in sight. Only Lorne was there, behind the bar, restocking his alcohol and humming a pleasant tune. He turned when he heard the three come into his place and frowned. "Angel cakes! Not that I don't mind, but we don't open for another few hours."

The vampire ignored the demons statement, taking a barstool as his own and sitting down. "I need some information."

Lorne sighed and picked up a rag, cleaning the already spotless counter, rubbing in endless circles. Angel always came to him whenever he needed to get information that the smart Englishman couldn't find. It wasn't that Lorne was annoyed at that fact, but it got old. Especially when he was put in mortal danger. "Well, go ahead and pick a song if you have to, but make it short, I've got a headache."

Angel shook his head. "Don't need to sing."

"Yeah, that's why we agreed to come along." Cordelia spoke up from behind the vampire, Wesley nodding in agreement. Angel shot the two a dirty look.

"It's about someone who came by our office." The brooding vamp said, starting to lean back in his chair before remembering that there was no back to it. "Called you her uncle."

Lorne sighed. "Sylvia."

"That's her!" Cordelia nodded enthusiastically. "Angel here says she's a demon."

Lorne opened his mouth to object, but closed it again quickly. Angel noticed this and raised his eyebrow, prodding the green demon with his elbow.

"Not exactly."

Wesley frowned. "What do you mean, not exactly?"

Lorne shut his mouth, mentally wondering if it would be a good idea to talk to Angel Investigations about Sylvia and her…heritage. He stared at Wesley and grimaced. If he didn't tell the determined crew, they would find out through other means, means that might not tell them the whole truth, or at least put a negative spin on things. He didn't want a vampire and a crew of vampire killers after his niece, even if the title was fake. So he put down his rag, made himself a quick glass of scotch, and mentioned for everyone to join him at one of the larger tables on the floor. Once they were all situated, he began. "She's a ShapeShifter."

Angel frowned and Cordelia adopted a blank look. Wesley, however, grew very dark. "You don't mean…."

Lorne nodded. "An ancient force. Not demon, not human. Somewhere in between, like that black matter you humans find so cute."

Cordelia's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Why haven't we heard about them before?"

Wesley answered that question. "Because they aren't suppose to exist."

"You got that right, sugar. The Powers That Be created ShapeShifters as a kind of guardian to people who wandered off their path to their destiny. These creatures would 'attach' themselves to this person and help them get back on their path."

"But," Wesley picked up. "It didn't work. ShapeShifters were free spirits, they started to use those lost people as devices to their own will. The Powers That Be leaked the way to kill them in order to cover their tracks."

Lorne nodded, silently saying that the Englishman had gotten the facts straight.

"So, what about Sylvia?" Angel finally asked. He wanted to know if she was a threat or not. From what he had heard so far, he wasn't exactly liking the idea of a ShapeShifter running free in his city.

"I found her shortly after coming to this dimension. She was about dead." Lorne continued.

Wesley interrupted the green demon once again in order to fill in the other two with useful information. "ShapeShifters, since they don't have a soul of their own, attach onto other demons and humans. Only the lost souls were compatible with the Shifters, it was a mutual bond, not parasitic. Both beings benefited."

Lorne gave a short smile towards Wesley. "Exactly. Sylvia hadn't had a soul for ages, and was about spent, the poor dear. I had just been thrown into this strange world, and had definitely fallen off my path. She connected with me."

Angel frowned. "Then why isn't she still attached to you?"

Lorne smiled and beckoned to the club around him. "I found my destiny. Well, it was more of a small rundown place in New York, but still."

Cordelia smiled. "Aw! That's so cute!...In a weird kind of way."

"Wait, she came to Angel Investigations the other day. What if she attached to one of our souls?" Angel asked.

Lorne shook his head. "Highly unlikely. If she had, she would be here right now, and one of you wouldn't be able to get her out of your mind. It's a mystical bond."

The three exchanged looks, but none of them had unchecked feelings toward the newly proclaimed ShapeShifter, so they were safe, at least for the moment.

"So, is she dangerous?" Angel asked, putting the question into the air that he had been wanting to ask for a very long time.

Lorne cleared his throat and took his time sipping his drink. This caused the vampire to get even more anxious than he already was, which wasn't a good sign. "It depends."

Angel let out a large breath of air, already fed up with the situation. Lorne noticed this and sped up. "Chill angel biscuits. That's about as straight of an answer that you are going to get without going into this complex answer."

"I've got time."

Lorne sighed and looked at Wesley for help. The man picked up once again with the technical facts. "ShapeShifters, since they don't have souls or bodies of their own, don't have solid personalities like us. Their actions wholly reflect who they're attached to."

"So," Lorne said. "If Sylvia paired with the pope, she would be out on the streets, praising your God." Then the green demon paused, his eyes widening when the realization hit him; he had figured out who she had attached to. "If she paired with…say…a confused Wolfram and Hart lawyer with enough potential to start the next apocalypse a few years early…"

"She would lean more to the evil side of things." Angel finished, getting his answer. "She paired with _Lindsey!_"

Lorne threw up his hands. "How was I supposed to know! He came into the club last night and Sylvia was there and they locked eyes and suddenly she couldn't get enough of him."

"Wait, so does that mean Sylvia will hate Angel?" Cordelia asked, disappointed. She liked Sylvia.

Lorne made an iffy noise. "Not technically. You see sweetheart, Sylvia wouldn't hate Angel herself, but when she sees the man, she would feel Lindsey's hatred."

Cordelia groaned. "My head hurts."

Wesley frowned. "This isn't good. She could do major damage. If the bond between the two is as strong as my books back at Angel Investigations say, then this ShapeShifter will stop at nothing to get Lindsey back on his path."

"And trust me, the bond is _very_ strong." Lorne stated, getting three very disturbed looks from his guests.

"Well, his path could be good, right?" Cordelia said hopefully, even though her voice was small and not very convincing.

Angel looked at Cordy in bewilderment. "Since when was anything connected to Wolfram and Hart good?"

**--Wolfram and Hart--**

He picked her up at six.

She had given him the address on the phone, and he had told her when he would be around to come and pick her up. They had hung up shortly after that, neither of them having much more to say. As soon as the phone call had been disconnected, Lindsey's headache had come back, stronger than it had been the first time. He had disregarded that fact, telling himself that he was tired and got back to work. The remainder of the week, which wasn't much, the lawyer found himself wondering what she would be wearing, thinking about the way she would have her hair pulled up, or if he should call her and find out what color she would be sporting so he could pick up a matching tie. He also found that his headache wouldn't go away, no matter how many painkillers he took. Lilah had caught him popping the pills once and had let off some snide comment before running to tattle to Reed. The man asked Lindsey about it, who had smartly replied that he was feeling pain in his right arm again, which made the situation quickly disappear.

Finally, Saturday had come, followed soon after by six o'clock. Lindsey had gotten ready early, taking a shower and slowly pulling on his black Armani suit, the only three-piece he had. Something had nagged the corner of his mind when he had pulled open his closet, and his hand had automatically reached for the articles of clothing. Not caring enough to notice, he had pulled it out and slipped it on, a crimson red silk dress shirt going under it. A tie to match with the shirt, and he was ready to go.

It didn't take long to get to Sylvia's apartment. She lived about four blocks away, in the richer part of town. Lindsey liked to think he lived in the better-off part of town, but his place was shambles compared to her apartment complex. The place was huge, and there was a fountain in the large lobby. Lindsey didn't waste any time being amazed, heading straight for the elevator. He hit the button for the seventh floor and leaned against the back wall, rubbing his temple with his left hand. It was helping his headache a little, but not much. It never went away, constantly taunting him, screwing with him. The elevator dinged and he stepped out, reading the signs that pointed either which way. Finding the appropriate number, he went to the left, picking up the pace as he neared her room. His headache seemed to dull with every step, until it was only a ghost of a nuisance. Lindsey stood there, staring at the door, until finally he raised his hand up and knocked.

It was as if she had been standing there, waiting for him. The door had opened barely a second after he had knocked, surprising Lindsey by the swiftness of her response. She opened the door slowly, as if to build the suspense. She stood in the doorway to her apartment, a smile brightening up her face; one hand on her hip while the other rested lightly on the door. Her bleached hair was pulled up in a bun, the ends of her hair sticking out around the neat circle of hair. Her bangs stayed where they had been last he had seen her, straight on her forehead and gently brushing her eyelashes. Her dress was a beautiful one, it hung onto her every curve, yet didn't look like it was painted on. It ran all the way to the floor, hiding her feet. Only her toes peeked out, as if checking to see if the coast was clear. The silky material cinched at her waist, running up her torso until it stopped right above her chest. It was a halter top, criss-crossing in front of her neck. The color of the dress had to have been a coincidence. It was the exact same shade of crimson red that his shirt was. It was as if they had planned on matching.

Her eyes swept up and down. She apparently approved of what she was seeing, and held up a small finger before disappearing behind the door. Lindsey tried to get a look inside, but she showed up too soon for him to see anything. Her hand was holding a small red clutch made out of the same material as her dress. "Ready, Mr. McDonald?"

"If you are." He replied, stepping back so she could exit the apartment. He held out the crook of his arm, which she dutifully took. She used her free hand to the close the door to her apartment, hiding from sight the magnificent entrance room, stained only by the body of the true owner, who was lying at a very strange angle on the floor, her dead eyes staring at the ceiling while her chest was lying on the carpet.

The ride to the fundraiser was a quiet one. Lindsey had brought his company car with him, knowing that his pick up truck would be greatly disapproved of. Sylvia had slid right into the passengers seat like she was at home, adjusting the seat so it better comforted her, and even playing with the angles of the air conditioner. He caught her several times looking at his plastic hand, but it was more out of curiosity than pity, so the man didn't say anything about the glances.

They arrived at the party just in time. They got out of the car and Lindsey handed his keys to a chauffer, who drove off to park his car. The lawyer once again hooked arms with his date before walking up to the entrance of the large social hall. In front of the doors was an armed security guard, wearing the official logo of Wolfram and Hart. To the normal human, the security guard was just that. To those of the human variety that knew about the dark underworld of LA, the security guard was a screener, there to make sure that no uninvited guests attended the fundraiser. As Lindsey and Sylvia approached the entrance, the guard stepped forward and let out a low warning growl, the inhuman sound stopping the two where they stood. Sylvia narrowed her eyes as they flashed purple in annoyance. Lindsey, however, didn't see the slight change in his date's appearance, for he was too busy reaching for his wallet and pulling out his Wolfram and Hart ID. He shoved it under the guards nose. "She's with me, back off."

The guard read Lindsey's ID then did exactly what the lawyer asked him to go, stepping back to the wall, turning his attention to the others entering.

They continued into the building, no one else stopping them. The banquet hall was huge, the ceilings looking as if they never stopped. There was tons of table, filled to the brim with food and beverages all available to those who attended the party. There was a live band sitting on a slightly raised stage in the middle of the room, space for dancing around that stage. Sylvia had returned back to normal and had not even sparing an extra thought on the incident at the doorway. Lindsey, however, couldn't stop thinking about it. What was this woman who was on his arm that he was escorting. He frowned and stopped walking, jerking Sylvia back slightly since she wasn't prepared for the halt.

"What are you?" He hissed under his breath.

Sylvia smirked and rolled her eyes. "Wrong question."

Lindsey narrowed his eyes, taking his arm out of hers. He didn't want to play this game. "Fine, what kind of _demon_ are you?"

Sylvia leaned her head back and laughed at this, as if she was amused by his antics. "Dear Lindsey, there are more things in this dimension than demons and humans. You should know, you work for some."

Lindsey's eyes widened. She couldn't be one of the Senior Partner's, could she? But the twinkle of amusement in her eyes became more prominent in her eyes as he thought, and he dismissed the idea. The Partners weren't this loose with the rules, they wouldn't come and try to seduce one of their clients. That is, if that was what Sylvia was trying to do. Was she seducing him? Was it working? Lindsey got more confused by the second. Sylvia's hand slid to his cheek, gently stroking it. "Relax, we're at a party, let's have some fun. You can think when you're at work."

He frowned, but relented. Sylvia slipped her arm back into his just as Lindsey caught sight of Lilah, who was hovering around Nathan Reed, laughing at all of his unheard jokes and giving just the right comments at the right moments. Lindsey turned to walk away, but Reed caught sight of him and started to glide over to him, where he gave a large smile, mostly at seeing the young woman hanging onto his arm.

"Lindsey! Glad you could make it! And you brought yourself a lovely guest I see." Reed said as he got in speaking distance. Lilah, who was directly behind, grew a large scowl as she saw Sylvia. Reed wasn't finished talking, and continued before Lindsey was able to make a reply. The older man turned to face Sylvia. "Nathan Reed."

The young blonde smiled and extended a hand, which Reed gratefully took. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Reed."

He nodded then turned in time to see a very important client enter the building. Reed turned back to the small trio. "I must be going, lots of people to meet."

He left before Lilah was able to attach back onto him, leaving the three by themselves. Sylvia felt as Lindsey physically tensed and frowned, securely placing a hand on his chest. Lilah's scowl grew deeper as she noticed this and crossed her arms. The female lawyer was dressed for the occasion, a tight black cocktail dress fitting over her frame, a long-strapped purse slung over her shoulders. "So, Lindsey, how much did you pay her to come with you?"

Sylvia raised her eyebrow, and Lindsey almost growled. "Same amount you paid for that dress, which amounts to less than nothing."

Lilah rolled her eyes, but all the same tightened her arms around her chest. Sylvia noticed this and smirked. The younger woman listened to the music playing in the background of the conversation and smiled as the song changed. "Excuse us, but Lindsey promised me a dance."

She gave a sickly sweet smile and led Lindsey away. He dutifully followed her onto the dance floor, which was more of a space that was void of table than a dance floor. He allowed Sylvia to find a spot she liked then placed his hands in the correct position for the slow music playing. He placed his left hand on her right hip and held up his fake one for her to take. She did just that, stepping in close and wrapping her one arm around his back, using her other to gently rub the cool plastic under her fingers. They swayed to the music, taking a few small steps as needed. There were several other couples on the dance floor, enjoying the music. Sylvia focused her eyes on his nonexistent hand, whispering so that their conversation wouldn't reach other's ears. "Who was that woman?"

Lindsey growled under his breath. "Lilah. Pain in the ass, that's all. She's my co-partner at the firm."

"Ah." Sylvia murmured, although she wasn't really paying attention to the conversation.

"Go ahead."

"Hmm?" Sylvia asked nonchalantly.

Lindsey sighed. "Say what you want to about my hand."

She looked at it several more seconds. "It's beautiful."

Lindsey opened his mouth to comment on her strange view of his faux hand when a shrieking alarm sounded through the building, followed by mass chaos. The two parted and looked toward the front door, where all the commotion was coming from. When Lindsey saw who it was his eyes narrowed and he cursed several times under his breath, his one hand tightening and curling into a fist. Sylvia frowned at his reaction, then on her own behalf as she recognized the person who was causing the panic.

Angel.

The vampire stood in the doorway, the guard from the front door slumped against the far wall after being thrown across the room. Behind the vamp were two of his associates, Wesley and Gun. Both of them were harboring large and menacing looking weapons. Sylvia narrowed her eyes. Either the three of them just randomly decided to trash the party, or her uncle had decided to tell the detective about her true form. She hissed in annoyance, then reached out to grab Lindsey, who had already started to make it to the front of the banquet hall. The lawyer turned around angrily, but Sylvia held him back.

"Not tonight." She said, her voice low. "Not tonight."

Lindsey looked puzzled at her words, but wrenched his arm from her grip. She raised her eyebrow as she watched him go, but stayed put, wanting to see how the confrontation would play out. The angered lawyer stalked toward the front of the room, where he came face to face with the vampire. "Why the _hell_ are you here?!"

Angel stared at Lindsey. "Same reason you're here, celebrating the all the _good_ that Wolfram and Hart has delivered." When he said it, there was sarcasm dripping from every word. Lindsey just rolled his eyes and shifted his gaze to Wesley, whom he knew would have a straight answer.

"We're here for your date. So if you would just turn her over peacefully…"

Lindsey frowned and turned to look for Sylvia, but when his eyes met the place that she was last standing, all me met was unfamiliar faces. The woman was gone. He quickly swept the rest of the room, but got the same response. Nothing. He turned back to the three investigators, who now looked more out of place than intimidating with their weapons and fighting stances. He brought his hand up to his head, absentmindedly massaging the spot on his temple where his mysterious headache had come back. The lawyer shrugged. "Dunno what you mean, boys."

Gun snorted. "She ditch you?"

Lindsey narrowed his eyes. Angel sighed and placed his hands on his hips. "Wesley, Gun, fan out, search for her. Remember, she could be anyone, you want her to reveal her true form, then take her out."

Lindsey frowned, raising his hands. "Damn it, Angel. What are you talking about?"

Angel smirked. "Stand back _kid_, let the adults deal with this."

The vampire left Lindsey standing there in order to join his group in the search. The lawyer growled in frustration and looked around for something to punch. Finding nothing, the man just stalked out of the social hall and almost attacked the chauffer in order to get his car back. Lindsey then jumped in his car and drove away without giving the chauffer a tip, heading back to his apartment to punch and kick some things until his anger went away, then try to figure out what the hell was going on.

**--Lindsey McDonald--**

He made it to his apartment without accident. He approached his door and dug his keys out of his apartment, slowly unlocking the door. He wanted to take a long shower; that was where he was able to think the best. The pounding water did wonders for his thinking process, giving him a constant pattern to let his thoughts fall into place.

The door opened with a click that let him know the key had done it's magic. Lindsey dropped the piece of metal back into his pocket and reached around blindly for the light. With his path now illuminated, he shut and locked the door behind him. Lindsey went into the kitchen to grab some pain killers when he realized his headache was gone again. The lawyer loosened his tie with his good hand, taking the man-made noose off and throwing it onto his couch before doing the same thing with his jacket. His vest came off next, and he was working on unbuttoning his shirt as he entered his bedroom. It was dark in there too, and he turned on the light before facing his bed. The lights turned on with a click and he jumped out of his skin, yelling a few choice words in surprise. "Shit! Sylvia!"

The woman was, in fact, in his bedroom. She was wearing the dress he had seen her in only minutes before. She was laying out on his bed, a smile on her face as she stared at him, propping herself up with her elbows in order to sit up better. "Sorry about leaving like that." She wrinkled her nose. "Don't like vamps."

Lindsey growled from the back of his throat, pointing an accusing finger at her. "Stop playing games! Angel was there for you. What the hell did you do to make him want to hunt you?"

Sylvia raised her eyebrow and with a small puff got up off the bed. She walked up to Lindsey and started to help him unbutton the rest of his shirt. At first he pulled away, but gave up, allowing his arms to go limp as she undressed him. "I'm not playing games Lindsey. With you, at least."

"Then tell me what you are." He murmured, his mind suddenly growing fuzzy with her body so close to his. She smiled and finished unbuttoning his shirt, gently removing it from his frame. She took the time to fold it before putting it on the bed behind her. She looked back at him, running her fingers over his bare chest as she stared into his eyes. Lindsey almost stopped breathing, he was so intoxicated.

She lifted her finger up to his lips, as if silencing him. "Shh, not tonight." She murmured.

He closed his eyes as her finger touch his lips. He gently kissed her finger, and then reached his hand up to grab hers. Then, with his other arm, he wrapped it around her waist, pulling her even closer. He nipped at her lips. It was a swift kiss, more of a bite than anything. Just a taste, to see if he liked her. Deciding that he did, he went in for another.

There was no soft, gently kiss. As soon as their lips connected it was as if something had been released inside of him. He hungrily devoured her lips, forcing his tongue into her mouth. She gladly allowed him access, groaning as he swept his tongue through her mouth. His hand tried desperately to remove her dress, and she helped him as much as she could between running her hand through his hair and trying to unzip his pants. In seconds they turned into a pair of animals, attacking each other for all they had.

There was not a trace of caring or love in their kisses; only lust.

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**Next chapter you learn more about Sylvia and her unique bond with Lindsey, along with some other stuff. I know this chapter was so long, but I couldn't find a spot to break it in half.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I'm sitting in the Arizona airport waiting for my flight to Hawaii to arrive, and decided to go ahead and post this since I won't be working on it for the next week and a half. Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Special thanks to all of my reviewers and silent stalkers, keep 'em coming.**

**Rated T for suggestive adult content, language, and violence.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Angel, Lindsey would have nice long hair. ^_^**

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He woke up slowly, trying to re-enter reality as easy as possible. He brought his left hand to his face while his eyes were still closed and ran it through his wild hair before rubbing his eyes. Only then did he open them. With sight came the image of his messy room and the memories of the night before. His clothes were strewn haphazardly around the room, and the pretty red dress sat pooled on the floor near the end of his bed. Lindsey groaned as he sat up, sore in places that he had forgotten he had. The cool silk sheets felt great on his bare skin, and he looked around his room for a pair of briefs to slide on. He rose up his right arm into his view and noticed that his plastic hand was not attached. He frowned and searched the room again, but didn't see his hand, nor did he remember taking it off last night. He rolled over in his bed and opened the drawer that normally held his faux hand. Sure enough it was there, nestled neatly in its place. He passed on putting it back on and instead got out of bed, wandering naked over to his other set of drawers, where he grabbed a fresh pair of briefs and pulled them on. He glanced at the clock to check the time. It was a Sunday and he wasn't required to go into work unless he was called. It was a little before eight, a good time to wake up on the weekends. Lindsey crossed the room and reached in his closet, pulling out a pair of jeans and pulling them on with a little effort. They hung long on his hips, the elastic band of his underwear peeking out from the denim. The lawyer turned toward his bathroom when he heard the shower turn on and mentally groaned. Sylvia must still be there.

He walked past his wall mirror and froze, taking a step back until he could see himself. He had a small red welt on his neck, low enough that his collar would cover it up if he didn't crane his neck too much. He turned around and stared at hi back, which had long fingernail marks scratching down his back. No wonder he was sore. He thought back to the night before again and a sideways grin fell on his face. The woman was wild, he'd give her that. Those long hours were the most fun he'd had in…he couldn't even remember when. He ran his fingers gently across the scratches before averting his attention to finding a shirt. He was just pulling a black t-shirt over his head when two slender arms wrapped themselves around his body, stopping the shirt from going onto his body. He stiffened as he felt Sylvia press her body into his back, and from what he was feeling, she was only wearing his towel. He let the shirt drop to the floor and brought his fingers up to cover her arms. She giggled into his back and placed kisses where the night before she was creating red lines. "You weren't half bad yourself, you know."

He snorted at her words and turned in her arms, his eyebrow raising. "_half bad?_ Want me to recall your exact words?"

She laughed and let go of him in order to hold up his towel. It was wrapped around her otherwise naked body, stopping several inches short of her knees. Her long bleach blonde hair lay limp and wet on her head. She wasn't wearing any make up, and looked different than when she was fully dressed and made up. In a way she looked almost beautiful. Lindsey shook the thought out of his mind, watching as a smile slowly grew on her lips, almost as if she had read his thoughts. "What?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, cowboy."

He ignored her comment and went to walk past her, intent on getting in the shower himself. He stopped, though, remembering the words that Angel had spoken to him last night. Then he did a half turn, watching as she picked up her dress. "Are you gonna answer me now?"

Sylvia stood up from her lowered position and flung the dress onto his bed halfheartedly. "You sure you want to know?"

Lindsey narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms on his bare chest. "Stop procrastinating."

"You lawyers and your 'hunt for the truth.' I swear." She relented, however, and plopped down on Lindsey's bed, crossing her legs and smirking as she watched his eyes follow the edge of the towel as it inched up higher on her thigh. She stared at him, trying to figure out the best way to explain what she was to the man in front of her. "I'm a ShapeShifter."

Lindsey stared at her for a moment as if she had grown another head. His face went from shock to surprise, then anger as he remembered the little bit of information he knew about ShapeShifters. "Stop screwin' around! Shifters were all killed hundreds of years ago."

Sylvia, looking very bored, slowly stood up from the bed, making a show of standing up straight. Lindsey went to say something, but she held up her finger to silence him. Then, she placed her hand on her hip, and changed.

It wasn't like anything that Lindsey would have thought. There was no melding of the skin, no odd deformities as the shift took place. Sylvia was standing there with an annoyed look on her face one second. Then, he blinked, and he was staring at an exact replica of him, clad only in a towel.

"How do I look?" Sylvia asked, only her voice sounded just like he did. She allowed the towel to drop down to her waist, and she did a little twirl. Her right hand was missing, the small scars and twisted flesh on the end of her arm was identical to his, even her back sported the scratches she had inflicted herself not even twelve hours ago. Lindsey swallowed, not believing what he was seeing.

She smiled one of his dazzling smiles and closed the gap between them. Lindsey didn't move as she put _his_ hand in his chest and slowly let it fall downward.

"Believe me now?" She whispered in _his_ voice as she brought _his _head closer. Then, as he stared into _his_ eyes, they flashed purple, and the spell was broken. He pushed her away roughly, falling backwards, his only saving grace being the wall.

She laughed and shifted back in the Sylvia that he had met, quickly pulling the towel up around her chest. Lindsey frowned and shook his head, trying make sense of everything he had seen in front of him. "So…are you a man or a woman?"

"Your real question should be "what did I just have sex with?'" She rolled her eyes as she picked up her bra from the other night and dropped the towel on the ground before proceeding to get dressed. "Don't worry, I'm either a straight woman or a gay guy…I find human men more attractive."

She looked him up and down. "Though, I can hardly turn down a sexy female."

Lindsey choked, his face growing pale. He glanced at the clock and did some mental calculations. Nathan left the office around noon on Sunday's, and if he hurried Lindsey could talk to his boss _and_ read up on the material that Wolfram and Hart had on ShapeShifters. Sylvia was right, he did want to know what he had gotten in bed with. He had to learn brief history on all species of demon and non-demon races as part of his education for law school when he was invited to join Wolfram and Hart. They had spent only several minutes on the mystical race, learning only that they were a mistake made by the Powers, and didn't have a soul. However, Lindsey could have sworn he heard a heart beat coming from her body last night, and that scared him. "I got to go into work."

"It's Sunday."

"I got a case to work on." Lindsey lied, the false words slipping easily off his tongue. Since when had he become so accustomed to lying without thinking about it?

Sylvia stared at him and cocked her head, moments later frowning. "I don't care who you tell about me, Lindsey, as long as you're prepared to live with the consequences."

Lindsey shuttered. Did she just read his mind? "Fine."

He grabbed a t-shirt and stormed out of the room, stopping by the kitchen to grab some pain pills before going to his car. He had an emergency suit in his trunk, and didn't want to spend any more time in a room with a creature he knew nothing about. Lindsey felt more than saw Sylvia enter the room as he stuffed the pills in his pockets. He wanted to take some just in case his headache came back.

"Those pills wont help, not with that headache, anyway. "

He pretended that he didn't hear her, but placed the pills back on the counter on his way out. The dull pounding started as soon as he pulled his car out of the garage, and grew steadily worse as he drove away from the apartment complex. He turned on the road that would lead him to Wolfram and Hart, toward all of the answers he would ever need about the strange creature in his apartment.

**--Wolfram and Hart--**

"Here's the file you were looking for, Mr. McDonald."

Lindsey didn't bother giving a smile, taking the folder from the woman with only a gruff noise to say his thanks. The woman's never ending smile didn't drop an inch as she watched his retreating.

The lawyer paid close attention to where he was walking, hiding the tab on the folder from view of any wandering eyes as he made his way to his office. It was a Sunday morning and only those unfortunate enough to have extra work were milling about in the office. Half way to his safe haven Lindsey shifted the file to under his right arm in order to free his left hand to massage his temple. His headache was worse than it had ever been, and the pounding was starting to affect his vision. Every once in a while his eyesight would blur and he would stumble. Finally, the lawyer made it to his office, where he locked the door and hurriedly sat down in his chair before opening the file, pouring over its contents. The folder was slim, showing off how little information the law firm actually knew about ShapeShifters. However, on those pages was more information than Lindsey knew himself, and that was a start.

He read eagerly, his headache forgotten for the moment. He learned of the soul sharing, and the histories of the creatures. He learned how to get them to show their true form, and how the best way to kill them is. Much more information was in the file, but every line he read gave him new questions to ask. Soon, however, his quest for knowledge was overcome by the now-blinding pain he was experiencing. Unable to take it anymore, Lindsey took out his phone and hastily took pictures of the information on the pages before closing the file and putting it in his out pile. A attendant would come in before Monday morning and take care of that ever-growing stack so their would be plenty of room for more to take their place in the upcoming week. Lindsey then stood up and buttoned the front of his jacket with his single hand before exiting his office. He turned and went to leave when he came face to face with the last person he wanted to see. Lilah Morgan.

"What are you going here?" She asked, skepticism in her voice as she stared at her competitor. Lindsey sighed, not having the patience to deal with the woman at the moment.

"Jack off Lilah, I wasn't plotting on destroying your reputation, if that's what your worried about. You're doing a good enough job of that without my help." He leaned against the wall as a particularly strong wave hit his head.

Lilah raised her eyebrow. "You look a bit pale, Lindsey. _Pressure_ getting to you?"

"What the hell are you talking about." His words almost slurred together, he was having trouble talking. His vision was starting to fail, and the little that he could see was spinning. He felt like he was about to faint.

Lilah continued on, oblivious to the man's suffering. "The division review. They moved it to tomorrow."

Lindsey, even in his state, managed a smirk. That's the only reason the woman would come to work on a Sunday, to try to get some advantage over him before the division review. He could care less about the damn thing. There would be a body bag carried out of Wolfram and Hart the next day, and it would contain one of them. Which one, Lindsey didn't really care. He opened his mouth to make some snide comment, but he never got the chance. The world went black as he crumpled to the floor, the pain in his head so strong that his body wouldn't stay conscious.

He woke up almost half an hour later. He was lying out on the couch in Nathan Reeds office that was designed specifically for clients. A Wolfram and Hart doctor was packing up his things and giving an oral report to Nathan, who was sitting at his desk, signing off on some document or another. Lilah was sitting tight lipped and cross legged in another chair further away from the couch, an almost hopeful look on her face. Lindsey groaned and fluttered his eyes as he regained conscious, trying to take in the scene in front of him. He moved to sit up, using his elbows for support. "What happened?"

"You fainted, Lindsey." Nathan said, releasing the doctor and standing up, crossing his arms. "There's something you weren't telling us."

Lilah smiled a triumphant grin. "I caught him popping pain pills the other day with enough dosage to numb a horse."

Nathan raised his eyebrow and paced toward the couch. "Is this true?"

Lindsey sighed, rubbing his face with his good hand. He sat up all the way and swung his legs over the couch so that he was sitting upright. He leaned back and closed his eyes, awaiting the return of his headache. However, it was only a dull throb, barely prominent in the back of his skull. Glad to have even a few seconds of rest, he hesitated in opening his eyes. "Sir, I'd like to discuss this privately."

He shot Lilah a distrusting look, one she returned all too soon. Nathan stared at the young lawyer for a few moments before turning to the only female in the room. "Lilah."

She nodded and mumbled a yes sir before disappearing into the hallway, no doubt trying to find a way to get ears in the room.

"Well?" Nathan asked stubbornly, not budging until he heard a detailed answer from Lindsey. That said lawyer decided to get right to the point. "I found a ShapeShifter."

Nathan's face turned angry. "Don't mess with me, young man!"

Lindsey sighed, letting out a small chuckle. "That's almost exactly what I told her. You met her last night, sir, at the fundraiser."

Nathan frowned and returned to his chair. "Start from the beginning, and don't you even _think_ about leaving any detail out."

So Lindsey recounted his story.

**--Lindsey McDonald--**

It had taken Lindsey almost two hours to explain everything to his boss, including the information he learned from the file, with Nathan had immediately asked to see. The man finally believing Lindsey's story, he asked for him to bring the woman into the office the next morning so they could discuss 'business opportunities' for the both of them. It would benefit the both of them, Nathan had said. Her putting her abilities to good, paying work, while Lindsey would be spared the horrible headaches at work. Then they parted ways, and Lindsey found himself once again on his way back to his flat. Part of him hoped that the Shifter was still at his apartment, the other half wishing it was all some nightmare put together by the Powers, screwing with him.

But he knew as soon as he grew near his door and the hint of the headache disappeared, that it wasn't a dream, and Sylvia was still in his apartment. He opened the door and entered his place, finding a strange man sitting in his couch, casually flipping through the channels. The man was wearing his clothes, which hung a little loosely on his small frame. The man, when he stood up, was almost six foot tall, with crazy brown hair and a look of adventure in his eyes. He gave a smirk and turned off the television as Lindsey approached.

"Sorry, all I had was that dress from last night, so decided to take a more objective approach." The body smirked and twirled. When it finished twirling, the man was gone, in his place the Sylvia that Lindsey knew. His clothes hung off of her frame even more, and he had to grasp the edges of the pants to keep them from falling off. "I can go shopping tomorrow."

"Can't, you have a meeting with Wolfram and Hart." Lindsey stated, throwing off his jacket coat. He briefly wondered if it was a bad thing to already be used to Sylvia's shifting.

The woman smiled and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her body close to his. "I warned you."

He mumbled a response and went to pull away. She stopped him with a searing kiss, rendering his helpless. Lindsey dutifully returned the kiss, his eyes drifting shut. He felt a subtle change and opened his eyes, staring into those of another man. He let out a growl of surprise and backed up, his eyes wild. "Damn it, don't do that!"

The mirror image of himself laughed before again returning to Sylvia. "You have no idea how much fun that is."

She waltzed into his kitchen, casually raiding his cupboards until she found a cereal box, which she opened and plunged her hand into. Lindsey watched all this with narrowed eyes. "So, you've moved in?"

She nodded. "Kinda have too, unless you want to live with those headaches."

He unconsciously rubbed his forehead, and then pointed toward the couch. "You'll sleep there."

She pouted and took another mouthful of cereal. "You're pissed about something. And really tired of someone."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I read about that too. How you feel the same feelings that your _host_ does."

She snorted and sat the cereal down, ignoring his words. "You seem _tense._ Is it the review tomorrow?" She approached him, giving him a real kiss this time, no games behind it. She snaked her arms around him, and smiled inwardly as he did the same. "You have nothing to worry about."

Then she led him into the bedroom, claiming it would help relieve his tension.

**--Lilah Morgan--**

It was ten minutes to midnight, and Lilah Morgan was unable to go to sleep. She had tossed and turned in her bed for over two hours before she accepted that she wasn't going to get any sleep on her possible last night of her life. This in mind, she got out of her bed and pulled on a thin robe before walking into the living room/bar of her small apartment and unscrewed herself a bottle of the finest wine money could buy. She had poured herself a glass and had taken a few sips before she decided that the alcohol wasn't going to help. So had replaced the bottle and put the half-drank glass in her chrome sink, where it would stay unwashed for some time. The young lawyer ended up sitting in a couch made for two, flicking through the television channels and pausing only long enough to catch short glimpses of un-named shows. She was about to give up and go to bed when a knock came from her door.

Wondering who would bother to call on her at such an odd time, Lilah turned off the television and wrapped her robe tightly around her. She hesitantly approached the door, pausing to look through the peephole to see who it was. The face she was confronted with was not a strange one, but it was unexpected. She unlocked all the bolts on her door and opened it just wide enough to permit her guest. "Lindsey?"

The other lawyer was leaning against the doorframe to help support his body. His hair was bedraggled and eyes had large, black circles, which spoke of nights without sleep. His eyes were bloodshot red, whether it was another side affect of no sleep or an immense intake of alcohol Lilah wasn't sure. He was still wearing the clothes from when she saw him at work, only now they didn't look so sharp. His shirt was half-tucked in and was sporting wrinkles like it was the new black. The buttons were done up crooked, causing his collar to be off center.

Lilah opened her mouth to spout off some wise-ass comment, when Lindsey stumbled into her apartment, forcefully attaching his lips to hers. She stumbled backwards from the weight of him, her eyes widening from the bruising kiss. She finally was able to push him off of her and proceeded to wipe her mouth with her arm, the taste of whiskey and bourbon creating a sour taste from mixing with the wine she had previously sipped. "Are you drunk?"

"Why?" Lindsey scoffed, almost tripping over his own feet. He managed to right himself and place his arms on his hips, staring Lilah up and down. "You think I'd have to be drunk to kiss you?"

Lilah wanted to reply, but she couldn't. Something didn't seem right. Why would Lindsey be doing this to her? What was his end game? Normally she was the one playing the mind games. She hugged herself tighter, trying not to focus on his colorful taste, which was still wreaking havoc on the inside of her mouth. "Why are you here, Lindsey?"

The man rolled his eyes, as if the answer was so obvious that he couldn't understand why she didn't see it. "One of us is gonna be carried off in a body bag tomorrow, sweetheart, so I figured, what the hell."

He tried to close the distance between them, but she stopped him. "You're talking about the division review? That's what this is about?"

He shook his head, like a mother watching her child do something wrong. Lindsey spread his arms out wide, pointing to himself with his one mobile hand. "What, you don't want me? I see the way you look at me, Lilah! Why don't you just accept it!"

He started to laugh, and that sound chilled the woman to the bone. She had never heard Lindsey talk like this, he was the one that always kept his head, the roles should be reversed. But his laugh sent shivers down Lilah's spine, and suddenly she found herself wishing that she had her mini pistol within reach.

"I mean, look at him! Look. At. Him. What's not to want? I would have screwed him, regardless out of the outcome." Lindsey became more dramatic with his movements, using his hands and arms to act out a story that Lilah wasn't following. Why had he started talking in third person? She started to back away, wondering how fast she would have to run to get out of her apartment without being stopped. She had seen Lindsey battle vampires and demons before; he was stronger than he looked.

"Wow, where you going? I'm not done yet." He said angrily, causing Lilah to freeze in her tracks. "I just need another minute, promise."

He cleared his throat and waited to make sure that Lilah wouldn't try to leave. Satisfied that he had her attention, he continued. "He hates you, you know. _Despises_ you. Almost as much as that Angel fellow, but that comes later."

He waved off the vampire as if he was a pesky fly. "Tonight it's about _you._"

Another step closer, and Lilah took another step back. She had begun to sweat and her hands were shaking. Whoever it was in her apartment, it wasn't Lindsey, at least, the one she worked with. "What are you?"

Yet again that menacing laugh echoed through Lilah's apartment. "I'm obligated to give him what he truly wants, you know Lilah. His souls deepest darkest desires. That's what I am."

Lindsey's eyes flashed purple, then, in a blink of an eye, Lilah was no longer staring at her partner. No, she was looking directly into the face of Sylvia, her eyes burning a deep purple. "You know what Lindsey's deepest desire is, Lilah?"

Scared beyond speech, Lilah was only able to shake her head. Sylvia smiled and paused, taking a deep breath in before once again using her eyes to drill through the other woman's. "To kill _you._"

Lilah opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. She blinked, and then Angel was standing there in front of her. The vampire with the purple eyes hissed then pounced, greedily sinking his fangs into Lilah's soft skin. He felt her lifeblood start to drain out of her body, and he hungrily lapped it up, watching as the fire in Lilah's eyes grow dim. She struggled at first, but slowly lost her energy and will to live. The purple-eyed Angel stood there, holding Lilah's body long after it had turned cold, sucking until the last drop of blood was drained from her system. Then, he let her body fall to the floor with an unceremonious thud. The vampire licked his lips as his purple eyes faded back to their normal color. Sylvia shifted back to her blonde-haired form and took one last glance at her latest victim. She gave a happy smile, like a weight had finally lifted off of her shoulders. A small burp made it's way up her throat and out her lips, filling Sylvia's mouth with the taste of blood. She made a face and brought her hand to her mouth. "I'm gonna be sick."

**--Nathan Reed--**

Lindsey McDonald stood at the entranceway to Lilah Morgan's apartment, still as a statue, and as grey as one. His hands were dug deep in his pockets as he leaned against the doorway. Her body was still lying in the foyer, her cold, pale face staring lifeless up at the ceiling. The preliminary findings stated that Lilah had been attacked by a _very_ hungry vampire and sucked dry. Wolfram and Hart was accepting that cause of death and had already written it down in a file that was being sealed as he stood there, staring at her body. However, Lindsey knew better. He knew that Lilah was too much of a paranoid to allow any stranger into her apartment without first knowing their species, gender, and motivation for being at her doorstep. The time of death had been clocked at precisely 12:01 in the morning, an odd time for a murder. The Wolfram and Hart forensics team were finishing up with their investigations and draped a tarp over Lilah's body, shielding her from any further eyes. Lindsey turned his head and closed his eyes, trying to fight back the images he had just seen, along with a dull headache. It had gotten much worse the night before, but since that morning it had maintained a dull throb, no matter how far away he was from Sylvia. He asked her about it, but she just shrugged and muttered how the Powers That Be enjoyed screwing with humans. That was when he had gotten the call from Nathan, demanding that he drive over to Lilah's apartment immediately.

Speaking of the boss, Lindsey heard footsteps coming toward him and opened his eyes just in time to see Nathan Reed approach him, his face sporting that never-changing monotone stare. "What do you think Lindsey?"

The man shrugged. "I wouldn't know sir, I'm a lawyer not a cop."

Nathan frowned. "Did you see Lilah's wounds on her neck?"

Lindsey nodded, his heart skipping a beat as he recalled the picture. Yes, he saw the two small puncture marks right overtop of her jugular, just the right size for two fangs. There had been no other injuries, and the obvious conclusion had been jumped too. "Yes sir, vampire marks."

Nathan nodded. "That's right. Add that to the five reports from people stating that they saw a tall, brooding man with a black flowing coat and a overhanging forehead, and what does your instinct tell you?"

"Angel." Lindsey said, the vampires name coming out in a whisper. Nathan nodded. "But," Lindsey continued, grabbing his boss' attention. "Angel has had plenty of opportunities to kill Lilah before, why now?"

"What are you getting at, Lindsey?" Nathan asked, now intrigued by his young employee's line of thought.

"He was being framed, sir." The lawyer stated calmly. "By someone who wants Lilah dead and Angel at fault."

Nathan stared at Lindsey until the young lawyer realized that he just described himself, to a greater degree. However, Reed didn't say anything about the resemblance. He just nodded and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Well, congratulations, Mr. McDonald. You just got promoted to Vice President of Special Projects. You're pay raise will be reflected in your next check, and you will inherit all of Lilah's clients."

Nathan turned to leave, stopping as something else came to mind. He half turned and glanced toward Lindsey's plastic hand. "Oh, and Lindsey?"

"Yes sir?"

"I made an appointment for you later today, right after our meeting with your ShapeShifter friend. I cleared your schedule for you."

* * *

**Yay! Murder! Hehe. Sorry to any of my readers that are Lilah fans, but the woman had to go. I dreamed about that death scene, so I hope it was satisfactory. A little foreshadowing there at the end, nothing the wonder boy lawyer can't handle, especially now that he has his trusty sidekick ShifterPsychoWoman. Hehe. Don't blame me; blame 1 and half hours of sleep and Grande Café Mocha. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Lots and lots of information in this chapter, along with several others things and some foreshadowing. This story only has about one more chapter left in it, _possibly_ two, depending on how much my fingers fly over the keys. I am sorry for taking so long, but I lost my idea on this for a while, but don't worry, I got it back. Thanks to my reviewers and silent stalkers, love ya'll!**

**I'm going to _try_ very very hard to get the next chapter -and possibly the last- up by either Christmas or New Years. **

**Disclaimer: If I owned Angel, Lindsey would have gotten his tattoos sooner.**

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"You killed her."

It was more of a statement than a question, yet Sylvia chose to grace it with an answer. She leaned her head back to rest against the back of the passenger seat, her eyes going cross and blurry as she tried to focus on the LA streets fleeting past her as Lindsey pushed down on the accelerator. "Who?"

Lindsey grit his teeth and tightened his single hand around the steering wheel, his knuckles growing white with the effort. As he blinked, the image of a dead and bloodless Lilah flashed through his mind. "You know damn well who."

The ShapeShifter sighed, finally closing her eyes and blotting out the images of the outside world. Her one hand drifted to the door, playing with the handle, while the other rested lazily on the middle consol. "Lilah was killed by a vampire."

"_Murdered_ by a _fake_ vampire." Lindsey corrected, sparing a glance in the woman's direction. She was dressed in a smart business suit that she had gone out and bought while the lawyer was at work. She had used his credit card, he had learned, and spared no expense. They were on their way to a meeting with Nathan Reed, who was looking to employ the Shifter, if not to dissect her and find out what made her tick.

Sylvia sighed. "What's wrong with you, Lindsey?" She asked, opening her eyes and glaring a whole through the man's skull, annoyance and confusion filling her expression. "I thought you hated the woman? Or was there something else mixed in there. Lust? Respect? Maybe even Love?"

"Damn it, Syl!" He yelled, slamming his plastic hand into the dashboard, chipping the thumb. "My _dislike_ of Lilah gave you no right to kill her! Who told you to do that, huh? Did you feel like taking a life, or did the Powers That Be send you some _divine_ mission?!"

Sylvia snorted and gave a soft chuckle, shaking her head. "You _really_ don't get it, do you. You-you think that the Powers That Be tell me what to do? Why the hell do you think they want my race dead? They were stupid enough to put their trust in humans. What I'm trying to say, is that I got my _mission_ from you."

Lindsey swore under his breath as he almost swerved into another car. Deciding that his driving was more than dangerous at the moment, he signaled and pulled off onto a side parking spot and cut the power, taking a few deep breaths before turning to face the Shifter.

"What the hell do you mean by that, I never asked you to kill her."

Sylvia sighed and undid her seat belt, trying to get comfortable. "Not consciously, but you forget that I have part of your _soul_. Your pure essence, Lindsey. The matter that holds all of your deep thoughts, secrets, wants, needs. The key to your destiny. You wanted to kill Lilah. You wanted to strangle the bitch and feel her last breath as it tickled your fingers as they squeezed tighter and tighter around her neck. You may not have consciously known that, but it is true."

She paused to let this information sink in. "The only reason I'm here is because you aren't strong enough to remove the obstacles in your way. So if you want to blame anyone of Lilah's death, Lindsey, you can blame yourself. Cause it was your soul that was cheering when she breathed her last."

Silence filled the car, and Lindsey felt like he was being suffocated. He couldn't breath, and the air around him felt stuffy and hot. He was so confused and unhappy and lost that it was killing him. Sylvia frowned and leaned over the middle consol, reaching her arm out to stroke his face. He yanked away from her grip, and she pulled back. "Everything I'm doing, I'm doing for you, don't ever forget that."

**--Wolfram and Hart--**

"Lindsey here tells me that you have some…_advantages_ that Wolfram and Hart would benefit from." Reed said from his position of power behind his large mahogany desk. He folded his hands, unfolded them, shuffled papers, clicked a few random things on the computer, trying to look busy, as if the meeting he was in wasn't that important. Sylvia just rolled her eyes and sunk low in her chair, crossing her arms and putting on a very bored expression.

"You lawyers and your big words. Yes, I'm a ShapeShifter. Yes, I'm willing to work for Wolfram and Hart…with strings attached."

"Of course." Reed said, struggling to get on top of the conversation. "You will be given ample recompense for your work. We also have a whole archives of faces that you can have complete access too, along wi--"

Sylvia cut him off by closing her eyes and leaning back, completely tired of the situation already. She peeked out of her eye to steal a glance at Lindsey, who was sitting across the room from her and looking quite out of place.

"I don't want any of that shit." She exclaimed, standing up. "Keep your money and your faces, I have plenty."

Just to prove a point, she quickly went through a series of bodies, each one holding its shape only long enough for a blink of an eye before moving on. She went through about twenty different shapes before turning into Nathan Reed himself, adopting the stance he uses when trying to intimidate his opponent. As always, it was working. Reed cleared his throat, not used to being challenged and not liking it one bit. However, he had been studying up on Shifters since Lindsey brought it to his attention, and he knew that he needed to stay on her good side. Sylvia tilted her head sideways slightly then smiled, an eerie look for the face of Nathan Reed.

"I want to work directly under Lindsey, and be given access to the building 24/7. "

Reed nodded and got to shuffling papers again, this time out of nervousness more than anything. "Consider it done."

Sylvia smiled and shifted back into her favored form, looking to all the world as an innocent. "One more thing, Mr. Reed. My best interests are those of Lindsey McDonald. It would be in _yours_ to keep Wolfram and Hart parallel to those needs."

She turned and abruptly left the room, but didn't go very far, for Lindsey's headache continued to be held at bay. As soon as she was clear of the room he stood up and walked over to Nathan's desk, his hands in his pocket. Reed looked at Lindsey with jealousy and a hint of spite. "Does she understand what she will be pitting you _both_ against if she decides to make war with Wolfram and Hart?"

Lindsey smiled, having enjoyed Sylvia's display of power. It was refreshing and a wonderful show of how little Reed had his hands on things. "She does, _sir_, and I think that's the dangerous bit."

Feeling elevated for the first time in a while, Lindsey turned to go out the door. Nathan sat flabbergasted at his desk, his brain trying to understand that he had just been stood up twice. "Lindsey!" He called, remembering something at the last moment.

The lawyer turned, for a second wondering if Nathan had taken too strong of an offence to something he had said. But the man made no sign to go against him. "There is a limo waiting out front for you. I suggest you take it."

Lindsey froze, then nodded before leaving, wondering what hidden message was buried within those words, if there was one at all.

**--Lindsey McDonald--**

The room was white and sterile, and smelled of death. The chairs were plastic and uncomfortable, the magazines two months old. The lights created a buzzing noise and sent a headache directly into Lindsey's skull; however, he wasn't sure if the migraine was from the lights or the fact that he and Sylvia were _very_ far apart. He had been sitting in the stiff chair for over an hour. It had only taken him several moments until he started to massage his temple with his good hand. He had lasted a half an hour until he shed his coat; the room had turned unbearably hot. Finally, a nurse walked in, a touch pad in hand. She was wearing an outfit that Lindsey would have seen at a strip club instead of a doctor's office, if that is what this place really was.

The outfit was white and hugged her body, stopping way above her knees, no sleeves to cover her arms. Needless to say, Lindsey was distracted enough to forget about the reason he was truly there for a few seconds.

"I'm sorry, how long have you been here?" The woman asked, tilting her head sideways as she checked her schedule.

"I…Lindsey McDonald." He said, coming back to reality. "Wolfram and Hart sent me."

A scared look crossed her face for a quick second, then it was gone. She smiled an entirely fake smile that showed her bleached teeth and nodded. "Sorry about this, everything has been so busy, please follow me."

Lindsey nodded and stood up, grabbing his coat and hanging it over his plastic hand. He followed the 'nurse' through the door marked "For Employee's Only" and walked into a totally different world. The plastic chairs turned into comfy leather couches. The tabletops had bottles of wine and glasses instead of old magazines.

"Please sit, the doctor will be with you in a moment, Mr. McDonald." The woman said before disappearing into yet another back room. Lindsey sat in the chair and sunk into the leather. He felt like he was back in Reed's office, only a lot more confused. Why was he here? Or, more importantly, where exactly was here?

The door opened again only minutes later, and a balding man who looked to be in his fifties stepping into the room, wearing a doctor's coat. "Mr. McDonald, this way please."

Lindsey only smiled and followed yet another nameless human in white clothing into yet another room, this time sterile smelling again. He was taken to a surgery room, where the same nurse, and what looked like her twin, rolled up his sleeves and poked him with a needle.

"Hey!" He said, pulling away from them and standing up. "What the _hell_ is going on!"

The doctor smiled and picked up a chart. "Mr. McDonald, we're giving you a new hand."

What? A new…what? Lindsey's face showed only shock as he tried to figure out what exactly was going on. "What…but how?"

The doctor, who was looking even more evil by the second, started to laugh. "Mr. McDonald, did your boss not explain anything? He placed you on the donor's list for a new right hand not even a day after you lost yours. The only thing that has been stopping us for so long is your blood type. Very rare, such a beautiful type. A few days ago, a woman came here and offered her hand, only saying that she wished it to be donated to a Lindsey McDonald. Lucky us, her blood type matched perfectly!"

Sylvia. Lindsey couldn't believe it. It made sense, of course, but he still couldn't believe it. She had her soul, so it was only logical that she got his blood type as well. But donating her _hand_ for him?

_Everything I'm doing, I'm doing for you._

Something new stirred inside the lawyer at that moment, and the corners of his mouth turned upward, in as close as a genuine smile as he had experienced in a long time.

Then another needle was injected into him, and the world went black.

**--Sylvia--**

He woke up in his bed, the covers folded down near his waist, his clothes he had previously been wearing hanging neatly in his closet. Lindsey blinked and stretched his arms, his right hand hurting like hell. His left fingers gently massaged his right, trying to dissolve away the pain. He stood up and threw the covers off of him, walking into his bathroom and turning on the faucet. He rinsed his hands sleepily in the cool rushing water for a few seconds before dragging them through his thick hair and down his face. Then, it hit him.

He had two hands.

A smile spread on his face, and a strange sound vibrated through his throat and choked out of his mouth. It was a laugh.

He flexed his fingers –all ten of them– and used his new hand to run over all the surfaces he could touch reveling in the heightened sense of touch. He was whole again.

He walked back into his bedroom and opened the door to his closet, staring at the guitar that had been sitting in the back of the small containment room, gathering dust for a year. He picked it up with his new hand and sat on his bed, pulling the guitar to his chest and letting his hands just fall into place. He played a few notes, trying to adjust to playing again. Then, he started to strum.

He hummed along with the nameless tune, so engrossed in the song that he didn't notice Sylvia enter the room until she sat on the bed and placed her right hand gently on his. He was broken from his trance by the touch and played a sour note, wincing.

"It's…beautiful." She said, staring at the guitar, her hand running over his. Lindsey smirked and pulled his hand away, just now noticing the faint scar line running all the way around the base of his wrist. He stared at Sylvia's wrist and saw an almost identical mark.

"You…" He drifted off.

Sylvia shrugged. "You needed a new hand, Lindsey, so I gave it to you." She smiled that smile of hers, and the lawyer twitched his head, that weird feeling resurfacing.

He leaned forward and kissed her. It was a real kiss, none of that foreplay crap that meant nothing more than an empty bed in the morning. His hands cupped either side of her face and his thumbs caressed her skin. She pulled away, frowning as she pushed his arms from her face. "What the hell?"

He frowned and stood up from the bed. "What…?"

Sylvia stood up also, her head tilted to the side as a look of confusion crossed her features. "Oh no." She then looked as him, her eyes narrowing. Then, she smacked him on the back of the head. "Vain ass."

Then she stormed out of the room, her head popping back in moments later when she realized that Lindsey wasn't following. "Come on!"

**--Caritas--**

"Tell me I'm wrong, Lorne. Please." Sylvia almost begged, tugging on the green demon's sleeve in desperation. The red-eyed creature was currently staring at the stage, where the now two-handed lawyer was strumming on his guitar and singing like a god.

"Wha…" Lorne managed to slur, unhappy at being pulled away from such a beautiful voice. "Sorry sugar cakes, but it's for real. This boy is heels over head for you."

She shook her head, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Damn it! This isn't supposed to happen, Lorne!"

The man shrugged. "He's fallen for worse."

Sylvia just slapped him. "The bastard's fallen in love with himself. I _hate_ it when this happens."

Lorne raised his eyebrow. "You say that like it's a reoccurrence, sweetie."

"Yeah, a pain in the ass occurrence." She sighed, leaning back on the bar. "And I am _so _close."

The demon just shrugged. "He's a big boy, been through a lot. He's stronger than when he last came in here, I'll tell you that." He paused, as if thinking about whether or not he should tell Sylvia something.

"What is it?"

"There's a big dark cloud of bad stuff that's growing stronger too, Syl." He said hesitantly.

Sylvia giggled. "I know! That's true greatness, right there." Then she stopped, and looked at Lorne. "Oh…Lorne. You couldn't just stand by and do nothing, after all I did for you."

Lorne shook his head. "That wasn't you, Sylvia. You're just a shell. It was my soul that helped me." His words were flat, like letters on a paper he was forced to read. He didn't like what was going to happen one bit, but was stead fast in his belief enough not to change it.

Then, as if on cue, the vampire with a soul came through the doorway, just as Lindsey's song ended.

Both men made it to the green demon and ShapeShifter at the same time, daggers in both pairs of eyes.

"What are you doin' here?!" Lindsey snarled, grabbing Sylvia around the waist. Angel set his jaw, staring at the Shifter, who hissed under his gaze.

"Wow, wow, my violent customers cool off, have a drink. This is _Caritas_, not some fight ring."

Neither of them heard. "Nice hand. Who'd you steal it from?"

Lindsey narrowed his eyes and brought it up in a threatening fist. "Wouldn't of had to if you hadn't cut it _off_!"

"Boys!" Sylvia yelled, stepping in front of them. She knew that neither of them could touch each other, but she still didn't want them making a scene. That would come later. She glanced angrily at Angel. "You, stop screwing with my plans." She turned to Lindsey. "You, chill."

The lawyer pushed Sylvia gently out of the way and winded back before throwing a punch directly at Angel's jaw.

An invisible barrier blocked his path and sent his new hand flying back at him. Lindsey went to try again, even though he knew that it was useless. Sylvia grabbed his hand and pulled him back, pissed off at the vampire, but having enough self control to know that now was definitely not the time. Angel smirked and crossed his arms.

"Don't look so smug." Sylvia snapped. She whispered in Lindsey's ear, telling him to meet her at the car. He nodded, and after a killing glance at both the vampire and the demon host, he left. Sylvia barred the way for Angel going after him, poking him only slightly-threatening in the chest. "You better be glad that you have your oh-so-powerful prophecy protecting you, or you'd be _wishing_ you never left your grave."

The words were snarled, the voice deep and gravely, the voice of a power larger than even Angel could comprehend. Her eyes flashed a dangerous purple, and Lorne cowered away from the amount of sheer power rippling off the being.

Then her eyes turned back to normal, and a dainty smile graced her lips. "Good night, _Angel._"

And she left.

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**Confused? No? Damn.**

**Review please!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: This is me saying Happy Christmas and Merry New Year! This is it, the final chapter to this story, so hold on to your hats, ladies and gentlemen, and get ready to read! Lol, don't ask, blame the damn planes. 3 hour plane ride with stale air that smells like puke can do this to a person. ^_^ Thanks to all of my reviewers and silent stalkers, I love ya'll!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Angel, then the show would be called "Diary of an Evil Hand."**

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She sat on his couch, her legs resting on his glass-top coffee table, her eyes staring into the blank television. A cup of soda was in her hands, but she hadn't taken a sip from it for at least ten minutes. She heard Lindsey scrambling around in his bedroom, taking the time to do everything that he hadn't been able to with just one hand. Examples include actually _tying_ his ties, shoes, and anything else with strings.

He was happy, or at least feeling something relatively _close _to happiness, Sylvia knew that, for she felt it to. But that anger, that ever-present, dangerous anger was still simmering right below the surface. The Shifter knew who it was aimed at, but what she didn't understand was _why._ Why did Lindsey have this unchecked vendetta for the special vampire? No matter how far she dug into his soul, there was no answer, and that scared her. Because when you have nothing driving your feelings, especially one as powerful as hate, then you are bound to loose control.

There had to be a way to fix it. She could just kill him, like she killed Lilah, but that wouldn't help. Lindsey may think he wants Angel dead, and maybe it's the truth. But something else Sylvia knew was that it wouldn't change anything. He would still have that hatred, but instead of it being toward the vampire, it would be toward something else, possibly something a lot bigger than a depressed vamp.

"Why do you hate him, Lindsey?" Sylvia asked, standing up from the couch and lazily making her way back into the bedroom.

The said lawyer looked up from where he was currently standing, that position being in the bathroom next to the mirror. He was shaving, with his _right_ hand. Sylvia cracked a smile at this, the little things in life.

"Who?" He asked distractedly, focusing on not cutting himself. His hand was still knew, and it had been a while since there was any flesh and blood there.

"Angel." Sylvia said impatiently.

There was no answer from Lindsey as he finished shaving, and Sylvia didn't push him. Still nothing as he rinsed his face, or just stared into the mirror. Finally he entered his bedroom and sat down on the bed, burying his face in his hands.

She shook her head. "You can't think of a good enough reason, can you?"

He looked up, zeroing in on her eyes, anger flashing through his. "The man ruined my life!"

"How?!" She yelled. "By killing your puppy-love crush Darla? Or how about when he got you _promoted_ at work? Yeah, I bet that ruined you!"

"He took my hand! Destroyed my clients, looks down on me and everything I stand for!" Lindsey was standing now, his new hand forming a pointing finger, which he was jabbing at Sylvia. She crossed her arms, standing her ground. He couldn't do anything to her, after all.

"You got your hand back, remember?" She shook her right hand just to make a point. "Lindsey, why do you care what he thinks? Why the _hell_ do you care? You are part of something bigger than this 'sibling rivalry' you have with him."

He shook his head and started to pace around the room. She knew that he wanted to leave, but didn't want to deal with the headache. Literally.

"What do you want me to do, Syl? Forgive him?"

She laughed. "Hell. No."

Lindsey frowned, the anger almost gone, leaving confusion in its wake. "Then what?"

She shrugged. "Forget about him. He's just a pitiful little vampire, you're more important than him, destined for something better."

That caused him to freeze. "What could be bigger than stopping the apocalypse?"

Sylvia's smile grew ten fold, and a dark, evil force seemed to pulse from her. Lindsey knew he should be scared, but he liked it. For the first time in a long time, he didn't question himself when he felt the presence of something dark.

"Causing it."

Silence.

So that was it? His reason for being here? To bring the end of the world? He shook his head. "I….I can't just let him go, Syl."

What would he do if he didn't focus on that damn vampire? Lindsey wasn't sure he would know how to keep living if the one thing that kept him fueled no longer concerned him. It was pitiful, he knew, but he knew that for a long time now.

"If you think that killing him will help you, then do it."

Lindsey looked at her like she was crazy. A moment ago she was yelling at him to just let go, now she was telling him to kill Angel. Then he blinked, and the vampire was standing in front of him, that smug look on his face. "Kill me."

Lindsey shook his head, blinking fast, wanting Sylvia to come back. He knew that it was her standing in front of him, but the vampire looked so real, _sounded_ so real. "I…I can't."

Angel snarled and pushed Lindsey back, causing him to stumble. "Why not? You hate me, remember? So why not just finish it?"

"It's not you." Lindsey said.

Then Angel punched him. Right in the gut. Lindsey double over, but the vamp wasn't finished. His knee went into his stomach as well, and the lawyer hacked and wheezed, trying to stand up straight without a jolt of pain going through his stomach. "Yes it is. I'm the person who cut off your hand, stole your love, used her, then threw her out when I was done. You're _nothing_, Lindsey McDonald. I'd kill you myself, but it would be a waste of energy."

Lindsey growled and punched Angel in the face. But instead of stumbling back, the man absorbed the blow, laughing. At _him._

Lindsey turned and kicked at his bedside stand, causing it to crack and splinter. He grabbed the leg that had fallen off after its bruising and smashed it against his leg to get a pointy and uneven edge. Then, with an inhuman-like cry Lindsey launched himself at the vampire, driving the stake through his heart.

Angel screamed and fell to the floor, his eyes turning purple. Then, the creature on the floor wasn't a vampire, instead it was Sylvia once again, a stake sticking through her heart, blood gushing from around the wound. She grabbed the and of the wood and yanked it back through her body, gasping as she did so. She threw the stick aside and collapsed onto the floor, passing out in a pile of her own blood.

Lindsey stood there, frozen, scared at what he had done. When he had thrust the stake through Angel's heart, he had expected to feel some kind of relief. Instead, he had felt nothing. No victory, not even sadness. In fact, the only thought that had crossed his mind was that he would have to get a new nightstand after this.

Sylvia, right before she passed out, felt something pull at her borrowed soul, and felt it leave her body. The woman smiled, and this time, it was a real, genuine smile. For her job was finished, Lindsey McDonald was fixed, his soul healed. He was ready for his destiny.

**--Lindsey McDonald--**

Sylvia's eyes fluttered open as she tried to focus on the room. She sat up slowly, her mind groggy and body heavy with pain, a pull coming from deep within her reminding her of the coming days. She glanced across the room to see Lindsey's bedroom door opened slightly. She didn't see the lawyer, so she sat up straight in order to have a better view of the place. Her head pounded from the quick movement, but she ignored it. Glancing at the clock on the wall, Sylvia noted the time and knew that Lindsey had to be at work for a few more minutes before coming back, seemed like she had been out a long time. However, giving the circumstances, a single day wasn't much when it came to healing a heart-stab wound.

She jumped off the couch and raced into the bedroom, pulling out a bag of Lindsey's and quickly filling it with anything of hers. The materials were thrown in the bag haphazardly, but she didn't care, they would be going into the closest trashcan as soon as Sylvia left the apartment complex. She wasn't connected to Lindsey's soul anymore, which meant that she wasn't the person she had been the past few weeks. Sylvia had to get rid of all the evidence that she was even there, including personal items.

It took her a little more than half an hour to clean the small flat of her presence. Bag over her shoulder, Sylvia left, her key sitting forlornly on the glass-topped coffee table. Sylvia guessed that she would have left with a heavy soul –seeing that the lawyer surely had been one of her more interesting lives– however, seeing that she didn't currently _posses_ a soul, the feeling was impossible.

The elevator ride to the main floor seemed like it took forever, even though it was only a few seconds. Instead of walking out the front door, she slipped out the back, throwing the duffel bag into the large waste bin up against the wall of the building. Sylvia brushed her hands together, literally wiping herself of her previous life.

She scanned the parking complex, looking around for a car that would best suit her. Of course, the decision was difficult, seeing that she wasn't _anybody_ at that moment, just a shell of a human with a brain, one that would soon starve without a soul.

She settled with a simple silver Lexus, nothing _too_ fancy. She pulled on the door and it swung open, even though the lock was still in place on the car. Smirking, Sylvia placed her foot in the car, congratulating herself on such a good getaway. She hated dealing with hosts that were so clingy and wanting to thank her, or, most often, kill her.

"Syl!?"

Sylvia cursed and removed herself from the Lexus. She could have just sat down, closed the door, and drove off, leaving the past where it belonged. However, something stopped her from leaving at that moment, and she turned to meet the lawyer than only days ago she had been deeply attached to – literally.

"W-where are you goin'?" Lindsey asked, standing a few feet away from the Shifter, his hands deep in his pockets. Sylvia almost smiled. Almost.

"I'm leaving, Lindsey. I'm not using your soul anymore. I fixed you, so I have to move on."

The lawyer shook his head, taking his hands out of his pockets in order to run his hands through his hair. He couldn't let her leave, not now. Everything in his life was actually going right for a change, and he knew that it was because of her. He felt confident for the first time in his life, and only a few hours ago he read through Angel's file without the anger he normally felt simmering beneath his chest. He was back on track, and it felt good. "You're still employed at Wolfram and Hart."

Sylvia laughed. "I'd like to see them come after me. It would be fun."

She gave an inhuman grin, reminding Lindsey once again that the woman in front of him wasn't human, or demon, for that matter.

He felt tears prickling at his eyes, and blinked rapidly, trying to stop them from coming. He was a man, and men don't cry. Not ones whose destiny is to bring around the end of the world, at any point. "Syl…please. I love you."

She snorted. "Yeah, you loved the person whose been living with you the past few weeks. I'm not her anymore, Lindsey. I don't have a soul anymore."

He shook his head, but she continued. Sylvia didn't know why she was explaining the reason for leaving the lawyer, and that feeling inside of her, she never felt anything like that before without a soul. In fact, she never felt _anything_ without a soul before. That was kind of what those things were for. "I have to find another soul, or I'll _die_."

"I can get you one, the Senior Partners…"

"The Senior Partners are jokes, Lindsey. They pull strings, claiming power that isn't theirs to take. Don't go to them with all of your problems." She started to walk forward, but stopped. "I have to go, Lindsey."

He shook his head, outstretching his new hand toward her. "Wait."

Sylvia paused, giving Lindsey what he needed. He closed the space between them in two large steps, grabbing the Shifter by her shoulder and spinning her around so that she faced him, pulling her into a kiss.

They stayed like that for a few moments, then the scene was broken and Sylvia pulled back. Her face was stunned for a moment and she brought her fingers up to her lips before placing them on Lindsey's cheek. She closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly sideways. When she reopened her eyes they were purple, a deep, pure purple. She gave a genuine smile. "Goodbye, Lindsey McDonald."

Then, everything went to hell.

The sound of a projectile being released from a weapon was heard, and then Lindsey found himself on the floor of the parking lot, Sylvia's body on top of him. Lindsey's eyes opened wide in shock as he struggled to get up. "Syl? Sylvia!?"

No response. He gently pushed her off of him and watched as she landed with a deadening thump onto the pavement. Her eyes were open, staring lifelessly at the sky. They were still that pure color of purple, that perfect color of purple. The smile she had been wearing was stuck on her face, being held in place by the arrow that was sticking out of her skull right between her eyes.

Lindsey tried to let out a hoarse scream, but his throat wouldn't work. He picked Sylvia up, cradling her body in his chest. His thumb stroking her cooling flesh, he numbly said her name over and over again. The blood seeping out of the back of her skull was soaking into Lindsey's suit, but he was past caring. He thought she was invincible, immortal. His eyes fell upon the arrow, and through the haze of surprise and shock, his mind recognized the symbols etched onto the weapon. It was an ancient device that the Powers That Be granted to humans when they wanted to get rid of ShapeShifters. The only thing that could kill them, and even then they had to be showing their true form.

Lindsey, his new hand shaking, closed Sylvia's eyelids, blocking her dead purple eyes from staring holes into his face. He closed his eyes, screwing them shut for several seconds before opening them, glancing in the direction that he thought the arrow had come from.

The lawyer's eyes were drawn to a balcony located on the second-to-top floor on a sky rise across the street. Standing in the shade of the overhang was Angel, his black coat ominously still as he stared directly into Lindsey's eyes, the vampire's face showing no regret, or emotion of any kind. In his hand was a crossbow.

Lindsey gently laid Sylvia's dead body on the pavement, the pool of blood growing larger beneath her. He stood up straight and smoothed the wrinkles out of his blood-soaked tie, his eyes turning hard and cold, a powerful darkness brewing on the surface.

Lindsey raised his hand toward the vampire, giving a half wave.

That was twice now; that the damned vampire had taken away someone he loved. But this time Lindsey wasn't going to just sit around and cry. Not even close.

Let the games begin.

* * *

**... Don't hate me. Please.**

**Ok, I already have a slight idea for a sequel, but saying that, it will be a while. One last review, for old times?**


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